Air Quality Awareness Week 2019 theme: ‘Check AQI & Get Outside’

“Check the Air Quality Index & Get Outside!” is this year’s theme. For 2019, Air Quality Awareness Week begins Apr. 29th and concludes May 3rd.

To provide the full disclosure, that’s what I’ve been doing since Earth Day 2019 (Apr. 22nd), well, kind of, sort of; Earth Day, this year, being on a Monday.

I’ve been checking the Air Quality Index (AQI) daily and depending what the reading is determines whether or not I spend the day – or at least a part of it, anyway – outside.

All during this time I’ve referenced daily air quality data via the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s (Valley Air District) Web site at: valleyair.org

The focus or reference locale in this case is Central Fresno.

So, on Apr. 22nd, referring to the Valley Air District’s RAAN (Real-Time Air Advisory Network) tool, Central Fresno’s air stayed in the good range between midnight and 6 a.m. when ozone pollution readings bordered on moderate until noon, then dipping back down and remaining in the good range until 11 p.m. where the air quality was most decidedly in the moderate category.

Meanwhile, for Apr. 23rd through Apr. 28th, here are the following respective Valley Air District Air Quality Index’s (and indications) for all of Fresno County for each of those days.

Apr. 23rd – 100 (moderate)

Apr. 24th – 105 (unhealthy for sensitive groups)

Apr. 25th – 119 (unhealthy for sensitive groups)

Apr. 26th – 100 (moderate)

Apr. 27th – 54 (moderate)

Apr. 28th – 54 (moderate)

Needless to say, on the 24th and 25th on these days, mostly, inside, I stayed.

At any rate, according to information on the Valley Air District’s “Daily Air Quality Forecast” Web page, for today, Apr. 29, 2019 in Fresno County, the AQI is 49 (good), the corresponding data for ozone being 53 parts per billion.

From the looks of things today, I’ll be outside, at least for part the day anyway.

And, I’ll be reporting back every day between now and the 3rd of May with updates.